We invite you to participate in the 398.2 Festival 2026 which is happening earlier than last year. If you would like to tell a story at the festival please fill the form in the link below. Last date for submission of the online form is 21st January 2026.

https://forms.gle/83vqKGEXpAk4QAfMA

Events in Singapore & Around the World

Free Online Oral Storytelling Event 

Join us for a storytelling time filled with laughter, lightness, and shared delight. Stories of Joy brings together tellers and listeners to celebrate the moments that make us smile — silly, surprising, tender, and true. 

The stories may be folktales about joy found in friendship, music, and second chances. 

They may be moments, events, or things that bring us personal joy in life, such as a time when you were laughing unexpectedly with a stranger or old friend, achieving something small but meaningful, singing together, dancing, or making music; finding comfort in nature — a garden, a beach walk, a familiar tree. 

Joy grows as it’s shared. Come and carry away some of the joy with you as we move into a new year.

This is a free online event organised by the Australian Storytelling Guild (NSW) Come as a listener or teller. All welcome.

If you would like to tell a prepared story in 5-6 minutes, email Christine Carlton at storyaus@gmail.com  to be put on the list to tell a short ‘story of joy’.  The stories are told, not read.

This is a free online event organised by the Australian Storytelling Guild (NSW) Come as a listener or teller. All welcome.

• Wednesday, 21st January 2026
• 4.20 – 7.00 pm Singapore time

Register on Humanitix to receive the Zoom link to attend the session

Thursday, 15th January 2026, 8:30 am Singapore time

Click here for more information and to register

• • Generosity of Spirit

    Festivals come but once a year and when they come, they bring good cheer! Whether they bring gifts, graciousness or generosity,
    Small or big,
    Tangible or intangible,

    I hope they bring hope and love to one and all.

    May kindness be our steps, and hope fill our thoughts, and love surround our lives in endearing ways.

    “My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern is very simple: loving others.” ~ Bob Hope

    Joyful Gretchen

    On the edge of a forest surrounded by trees, there once stood a tiny log hut with just a single room. It had a window that brought in some sunlight and a small garden patch at the back.

    In it lived a grandmother and her granddaughter. Grandmother’s weatherbeaten face spoke of years of quiet endurance and of innumerable deeds of sharing and caring. She had lost her only daughter and son-in-law and now her little granddaughter had only her. Although she was old, she was a sprightly lady. Her smile could lighten up a gray day, and she had kind words for everyone she met on her way to and from the village market to her hut.

    Her granddaughter, Gretchen, was a bright and cheerful girl and the travelers who passed by the hut thought of her as a sunbeam to brighten their day.

    Granny had an old shawl and every morning after a simple breakfast of oatmeal, little Gretchen brought the woolen shawl, climbed up a stool and wrapped the shawl carefully around her grandma and pinned it neatly under her chin and then she planted a kiss on grandma’s cheek before grandma set out for her morning’s work in the forest.

    Her work involved collecting small branches that had snapped off from big trees, tying them together into small bundles and securing them with twine, lifting the bundles to her shoulders and trudging off to the village with it. She sold those twigs to the people of the village; on most days she got a few pennies for them and on better days she got a few dozens of pennies.

    Granny managed their lives with the little they had. They had a roof over their heads, and the forest provided firewood to keep them warm during harsh winters.

    In summers, granny and Gretchen grew some onions, potatoes, turnips and cabbage. Any excess was sold, and some was stored away carefully for winter.

    They managed to buy oatmeal and some coffee for grandma and along with the vegetables they grew, they managed their lives. Meat and desserts were never thought of, for granny knew that was luxury for them.

    Grandma and Gretchen lived a contented life sharing and singing songs and stories of love and kindness, and the days passed by happily.

    On days when grandma was held up in the marketplace running errands, Gretchen kept herself busy. She made up songs and stories, listened to the chirping of different birds and learnt to imitate them. And on those days when Granny came home late and it was dark outside, and the stars were out twinkling, she looked out through the only window that the hut possessed and talked to them. She knew her mother and father were amongst those stars.

    Some days, when the weather was fine, granny took Gretchen with her. During one such trip, Gretchen was delighted at the sight of Christmas trees adorning the street. Inside the village store stood trees with twinkling lights decorated with ornaments.

    Gretchen had never owned a toy or a doll in her life and the sight of those knitted dolls, and tin soldiers, and some painted men and women were the most beautiful sights to her. That night, after a supper of baked potatoes, Gretchen sat by Grandma’s feet and said, “It is almost Christmas, isn’t it, grandma?” “Yes, my dear”, said granny lovingly.

    “What do you think I will get for Christmas this year, Grandma?”

    Grandma said nothing and just shook her head. She thought to herself, “We will have no Christmas this year. We are too poor for that.” “Granny”, continued Gretchen, “I saw so many beautiful toys in the village store this morning. I am sure Santa Claus has sent enough for every child, and I too will get one.” “Those toys aren’t from Santa Claus, dear Gretchen. Those toys are for people who can pay money to buy them, I am sorry we have no money to spend on toys.” “Don’t be sad, Granny, perhaps some of the kids who live in those big houses on the hill will share some of their toys with me who has none. After all Christmas is about sharing and caring, generosity and giving,” said Gretchen. Grandma leaned forward and caressed her shiny, soft curls and said, “Your heart is full of love and if you could, you would bring Christmas to every child.”, sighed grandma. A little sad, Gretchen said, “Perhaps Santa will show some people how to make presents that don’t cost money, and hopefully someone may surprise me with a present.”

    Gretchen continued her chatter, “Grandma, can I take some pine branches to the old and feeble man who lives near the mill?” She wanted him to enjoy the sweet smell of the pine forest all Christmas day.

    “You may do what you can to make Christmas bright and beautiful for everyone, but please don’t expect any presents yourself.”

    “Oh, Grandma, you forget all about the shining angels who work so hard during Christmas and come down to earth and I am sure they will not forget a single child during Christmas. I shall ask my favourite shining stars tonight to let them know about us. I am sure the stars are so close to the heavens that they are friends with the angels and will give my message to them.”

    Grandma sighed as she half whispered, “Poor dear child.” Gretchen wrapped her arms around granny’s neck and planted a kiss on her cheek and said, “Let us not be sad during Christmas, grandma.” Gretchen then danced and pirouetted all around the room like a ballerina whirling her skirt and showed granny how the wind makes the snow dance, and she had learnt to dance too. She looked so happy that grandma forgot her worries and laughed with Gretchen and joined in her snow-dance.

    The days passed and it was the morning before Christmas! Gretchen tidied up the house and skipped off to the forest as happy as a lark singing and smiling to herself.

    She was very busy gathering the most beautiful pine branches that were within her reach to take to the old, feeble man who lived by the mill. Then she found more branches and decorated the front of their doorway with green pine branches. The day whizzed past for the chirpy little girl. Granny returned home weary and tired and found the front of the house decorated with green pine branches.

    “Welcome home, grandma. Our dear little home is giving you a warm welcome; aren’t the branches of evergreen pine making the home look cheery! A merry Christmas to you, granny!” she said, hugging her grandma tight. Granny laughed and kissed Gretchen and they pushed open the front door and walked in together hand in hand.

    There was another surprise for grandma! The four bedposts were decorated with small, tender branches of the pine tree. A tiny bouquet of red mountain-ash berries stood at each side of the fireplace, and it gave that little old room a festive look! Grethen smiled, laughed, clapped her hands and did her snow-dance! The house was filled with music and laughter.

    Granny felt sad thinking of the disappointment that would greet loving Gretchen on Christmas morning. After supper, Gretchen and granny chatted for a bit and then Grandma rose and took off her worn boots and placed them beside the hearth. Little Gretchen looked at them for a few minutes and then said, “Grandma, don’t you think somebody in all this wide world will think of us on Christmas eve?” Granny hugged Gretchen a little longer as tears rolled down her eyes. She thought to herself, “I don’t think anyone will think of Gretchen.”

    Gretchen said, “I know the Christmas angels will pass by. I am taking one of your boots and leaving it on the windowsill outside so they can see it when they pass by. I am sure the stars will tell the Christmas angels where the boot is placed.”

    Gretchen took one of the boots and left it by the window and then said, “Star Light! Star Bright! Make the angels come tonight! And If they have a gift to spare, make them put it in the boot by night.”

    Soon she was beside granny and the warm fire and drifted off to sleep. It was the morning of Christmas and Gretchen woke up to the sound of music coming from the village square. Christmas carols were being sung in the open air. She dressed quickly and opened the door to see what the angels had left in the boot.

    Snow had covered everything up! The forest, the trees, the roads, the pastures! Gretchen carefully picked up the boot and brushed snow off it before rushing back into the house.

    Her excitement was palpable.

    “Granny! Granny! Grandma!”, she exclaimed. “Look, grandma, look! The Christmas angels did not forget us. Look, nestled in this boot is a little bird. The bird is beautiful!”, she said and began dancing and prancing around the house.

    Granny came to see what Gretchen was so excited about and then she saw it. A tiny chickadee. One of its wings was broken. Perhaps the rough winds of the night before were hard on it and it had decided to take shelter in the safe hollow of the boot. Very gently she took the little bird from Gretchen and lovingly bound its broken wing to its side. Then she taught Gretchen to make a nice warm nest for the little bird left by the Christmas angels.

    They placed the nest by the warm fire and when breakfast was ready, they fed the bird with a few moist crumbs.

    Later in the day, Gretchen took fresh, green boughs of pine to the old, feeble man by the mill. She told him that the Christmas angels had left her a gift of a beautiful little bird!

    When she returned home after admiring the twinkling Christmas lights, she found that the little birdie was fast asleep in its cozy nest. Not for long though and it soon opened its eyes and put its head up and said, “Cheep! Cheep! Cheep! Merry Christmas! I need more food!”

    She picked up the little bird from the nest and holding it close, gently stroked its soft feathers. Soon the bird lost all its fear of her.

    Gretchen shared stories of her adventure with her new feathered friend.

    Later that night during supper, Gretchen told her grandma, “What a beautiful Christmas we have had, Grandma! Is there anything in the world that is more delightful than Christmas?”

    “To such kind and loving hearts as yours, it will always be Christmas, my dear!”, said Grandma throwing her arms around little Gretchen. Together grandma and Gretchen then sang, “Silent nights, holy nights, all is well, all is calm.” and the little bird added in the music, “chick-a-dee-dee-dee!”

    “One kind word can warm three winter months.” – Japanese Proverb

    References
    Little Gretchen and the Wooden Shoe by Elizabeth Harrison